THE EISHES OF PORTO RICO. 
237 
light yellow, a blue band around margin of lower jaw; axil and a spot at base of pectoral in front 
above deep blue-black; dorsal orange flesh-color, the tip paler; caudal yellowish at the base, paler 
beyond, its posterior portion more or less black, a few whitish dots near base; anal light blue and 
reddish, the tip dusky; ventrals pale; pectoral light-yellowish; lining of opercle blackish; jaws pale. 
Some specimens are pearly-bluish rather than green above, livid below, blue on head paler, and the 
red of a light- yellowish carmine. Some highly colored specimens are greener, with belly bright yellow, 
brightest at throat; anal and caudal chiefly jet-black. (Jordan & Evermann, Key West specimens.) 
Color in alcohol: Dark olive or grayish above, with slight green shade; lower parts paler; snout 
paler; blue line around eye and from eye to angle of mouth persistent; blue at base of pectoral usually 
changing to black; dorsal, anal, and caudal mottled; edge of anal and tip of caudal usually blackish. 
This species can best be distinguished from S. lioplomystax and related species by the blue line 
about eye and from eye to snout, the dark edge of caudal fin, and the presence of 2 or 3 canines on 
each side of upper jaw. It is found in the West Indies and north to Key West, where it is very 
common in Fucus and eelgrass, along with S. lioplomystax. Length 4 to 7 inches. It is very common 
about Porto Rico, our collection containing specimens from San Juan, Aguadilla, Mayaguez, Puerto 
Real, Ensenada del Boqueron, Guanica, Ponce, Arroyo, Ilucares, Fajardo, Culebra, Isabel Segunda, 
and San Geronimo. It was especially abundant at Ponce and Mayaguez. 
Sparisoma xystrodon Jordan & Swain, Proc. U. S. N. M. 1884 (Ju)y 1, 1884), 99, Key West, Fla.; Jordan & Evermann, 1. c., 
II, 1630, 1898. 
190. Sparisoma hoplomystax (Cope). 
Head 3; depth 2.8; eye 3.5; snout 2.8; interorbital 3.7; preorbital 5.4; D. ix, 10; A. ii, 9; pectoral 
1.5; ventral 1.8; caudal 1.5; scales 1J-25-5. Body deep, the back considerably elevated; one strong 
posterior canine on each side of upper jaw, directed slightly backward, often a second canine in front 
of this and a small one directed downward on each side of front of upper jaw above the cutting edge 
and close to the median suture, these not evident in our specimen; caudal rounded. 
Color in spirits: Grayish and olivaceous, caudal dark, with a few white mottlings and a narrow 
pale edge, the large scales at its base pale; dorsal and anal mottled with dark; side with about three 
longitudinal series of white spots smaller than pupil, one on row of scales above lateral line, another 
on row immediately below it, and the third two rows lower; about six spots in each row; some fainter 
and irregular white spots on side below. 
This species ranges from Bahia through the West Indies north to Key West and Cape Florida; it has 
been recorded from Key West, St. Martins, and St. Lucia, but is apparently not common in Porto Rico. 
The collection contains but one individual, 2.75 inches long, from Mayaguez, of this type of coloration, 
and it seems to be identical with specimens identified as Scams radians and Sparisoma cyanolene in the 
U. S. National Museum. 
